a love story

Note from Bassya

Bassya and Layelle (Lila)

It was in the middle of May — a beautiful warm sunny day. The sun was setting the beauty was breathtaking — facing the bay two people sat — and watched the sun slowly disappear — and the sailboats gliding by on the bay.
The woman turned to the man and said, next week will be our 50th anniversary — the children and grandchildren are planning a party for us — he reached for her hand and said — I know — I know — he repeated smiling — my dear Bibi what can I give you that I have not given you already. She squeezed lightly his hand and whispered Dear Dear Paul — then she suddenly turned to him — and with the excitement of a young girl said would you do something for me — of course he answered without any hesitation. — you know the box of letters — I kept there for 50 years the letters we have written to each other the six weeks we were apart.
I will read the ones I wrote to you and you read the ones you wrote to me.
Very well we will do that tomorrow right after breakfast he said we will sit in our garden and read.
It was so long ago my dear — she said — we had a good life — he said — children — grandchildren — you with your paintings she said and you with your poetry he smiled — concerts — plays — traveling — we must have traveled at least 3/4 of the world she said smiling — we were for some unknown reason blessed — yes he said bending towards her and kissing her forehead. She looked up at him — I am so excited about tomorrow reading the letters — I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight he looked at her and laughed —

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Poem by Bassya

A package of love letters
Tied with ribbons of blue.
Some from you to me and
Some from me to you. --
Laying in a drawer
For many many years
Telling a story of hope
Joy, anguish, and despair
and many many tears. --

Links

Tales of the Shtetl

Reactions to the Letters

A.M.: I love this.
R.B.: So touching! It was good to know of the happy ending before reading the letter.
D.K.: Fascinating stuff.
R.G.: These are wonderful. What an amazing project.
D.F.: Wow, such torment.
J.J.: Wow, what a treasure to be able to glimpse into the past through these letters.
G.A.: Priceless treasure.
R.B.: These letters would make a great book.
P.M.: Oh my god! I am sitting here with tears running down my cheeks.
R.B.C.: Amazing! May love reign eternal, and inspire through generations...